System for softening water.



J. T. LEMON.

SYSTEM FOR SOFTENING WATER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY20,1910.

1,022,560, Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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COLUMBIA FLANOORAPH co.,wAsHlNOTON. D.'c.

, J. T. LEMON. SYSTEM FOR SOFTENING WATER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULYZO, 1910.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jo/m 77L eman.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASNINGTON, u. c.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. LEMON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SYSTEM FOR SOFTENING WATER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. LEMON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems for SofteningWVater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved system for softening water.

As is well known, in certain localities, the water contains aconsiderable percentage of alkali and other substances which tend torender the water hard, so that it is unsatisfactory for use for certainpurposes. It has been the custom in recent years, to soften the waterthrough the addition of certain chemicals, whereby the water is renderedfit for use under conditions where it would be unsatisfactory if toohard; for instance, if used for washing and for steam boilers and thelike.

In carrying out my invention, it is my purpose to construct a simple,compact system which is especially adapted for use in large buildings,such as hotels, office buildings and the like, where room ofinstallation is an object, yet a relatively great water supply isnecessary. In this connection, I further aim to maintain the water andthe chemicals under pressure preferably from a common power source, sothat the system will embrace thedesired features of compactness,durability of construction and economy of operation.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view,my invention consists in the improved system set forth in and fallingwithin scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figurel is a view illustratingdiagrammatically the assemblage of the elements forming the system, Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the chemical mixing tank,said View showing the pumping mechanism through which the chemicals areconveyed after mixing, Fig. 3 is a similar view showing morespecifically the construction of the measuring devices for removing thechemicals from the tank, and, Fig. 4: is a detail view showing the meansemployed for regulating the quantity of chemicals delivered by themeasuring devices.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter Adesignates Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1910.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

Serial No. 572,804.

a pump, which may be of any suitable character, and is adapted to drawthe water from a well or wells, or other suitable source of supply. Theoutlet pressure pipe from the pump is shown at 1 and leads to the doublecoil B, the pipe 1 extending therethrough, the outside pipes 2 incasingthe same.

The numeral 3 indicates a pipe which may lead from any suitable source,such as the heating system of the building, or the refrigerating plant,for the purpose of conveying hot water to the coil to slightly heat thewater flowing through the pipe 1, or to convey the ammonia gas from arefrigerating plant to condense the gas and at the same time heat thewater. After leaving the coil B, this pipe 1 leads to a suitablesettling tank 0, preferably having a bafile 4. While this tank A may beof any suitable size and form of construction, still I prefer to employthe form of tank shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, that is, a relativelylong horizontally disposed tank of boiler-like construction. This formof tank possesses manifest advantages over the vertically disposedtanks, inasmuch as the current of water being purified and flowingtherethrough, may be drawn oil at the discharge end entirely free ofsediment, whereas in the vertically disposed tanks, owing to theopposing currents set up by the inflow and outflow of the water, it ispractically impossible to draw the water from the settling tankcomparatively free from sediment unless such settling tank be of greatsize comparatively speaking.

The tank in which the chemicals are mixed is shown at D, said tankhaving arranged adjacent thereto in any suitable osition, the smallertanks E and E in whlch the chemicals to be mixed, such as soda ash,lime, or the like, may be placed, the pipes 55 preferably controlled byvalves 6-6, leading the chemicals into the tank D. It will of course beunderstood, that I may employ any suitable number of tanks for holdingthe chemicals. Within the tank extends the vertical shaft 7 carried bythe frame 8 secured to the tank, said shaft being rotatable and carryingthe mixing dasher 9 at the lower end thereof.

The numeral 10 designates a shaft extending transversely of the tank Dand carrying the two part pulley 11, one portion of which is in drivingconnection with a belt 12 leading from the pulley 13 of the pump, whilethe opposite member, which is also carried by the shaft 10, is indriving engagement with the belt 14:, through the medium of which thevertical shaft 7 is rotated. Instead of the belt 12, I may employ anyother suitable form of power transmission means.

Mounted upon the shaft 10 is a sprocket wheel 1-5 in driving engagementwith the endless chain 16 carrying a series of small measuring andconveying cups or buckets 17 adapted in the movement of the chain totake the chemicals which are being mixed in the tank, and deposit thesame into the relatively large bucket 18 communicating through themedium of the pipe 19 with the cylinder 20 of the pump F, the plunger 21of the piston being connected to the eccentric 22 at the end of theshaft 10.

Leading from the chemical pump F is a branch pipe 28 preferablyconnected with the pipe 1 at a point adjacent to where suchpipecommunicates wit-h the tank C, such as shown at 24, but I wish it tobe understood that chemicals may be led into the-settling tank Cseparately instead of first being injected into the water pipe at apoint outside of the tank.

The tank O is provided with a series of blow-off pipes 25 leading intothe main 26, so that any chemicals collecting at the bottom of the tankafter the settling, may be led off through the outlet 27 of the pipe 26.The water in the tank which is under pres sure, is forced out throughthe pipe line 28 and into one or more filters G, there preferably beinga series of such filters, although I wish it to be understood that anysuitable filtering device may be employed. From the filter or filters G,the water now purified and softened, is led out throughthe discharge end29 of the pipe 30, whence it is conducted to any suitable source ofstorage, such as the tank on th top of the building, or to a place ofdistribution.

In order to regulate or control the quantity of softening chemicalsdelivered by the small cups, to the large bucket, I may provide anysuitable means. In Fig. 4, I have shown a small trough or spout 31,movably connected to the frame 8, as at 32, and having the lever 33connected therewith, whereby the small spout may be moved into and outof the path of discharge of the chemicals, to divert a portion of thesame back to the tank D when it is desired to decrease the quantity ofsoftening agent delivered to the water.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of my system will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art. Preferably employing a. commonpump, or common power mechanism,

the water is pumped through the pipe 1, and when desired through thewarming or heating coil, into the settling tank, said pump also drivingthe shaft carrying the mixing and measuring devices located in the tankD. In softening water, it is preferable to have the proportion ofchemicals to water, regulated and measured, and this is accomplished bythe devices within the tank D. After the chemicals have been measuredand passed to the pump F, the latter, which is also driven from the mainpump or engine A, forces the chemicals into the tank along with thewater, where the pressure from the pump A, forces the water from thetank to and through the filters to the storage tank or other suitablepoint of discharge, the chemicals settling to the bottom of the tankwhere they may be removed as heretofore described.

It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple and compactsystem, which may be operated at an economy of cost and at a maximumcapacity, such systerms being adapted especially for use in connectionwith large buildings as heretofore stated. Furthermore, while I haveherein shown and described a particular arrangement of my system by wayof illus-' from the spirit of the invention or exceeding 7 the scope ofthe claims.

What I claim, is

1. A system for softening water comprising pumping mechanism, a chemicalmixer, an elongated settling tank constructed to permit an even anduninterrupted flow of the water therethrough, means for delivering themixed chemicals to the water preceding its admission to the settlingtank, and adjustable means for intercepting and returning any quantityof the mixed chemicals to the mixer.

2. A system for softening water comprising pumping mechanism, a chemicalmixer, an elongated settling tank constructed to permit an even anduninterrupted flow of the water therethrough, means for delivering themixed chemicals to the water preceding its admission to the settlingtank,

and an adjustable trough for intercepting chemicals and returning anyportion to said mixer.

4. A system for softening Water, comprising pumping mechanism, achemical mixer, a receiving and delivery hopper for said chemicals, anendless bucket chain for elevating and pouring said chemicals into saidhopper, an elongated settling tank for the uninterrupted passage of thechemicalimpregnated water therethrough, a trough for spreading thevolume of mixed chemicals in delivery from said bucket chain to saidhopper and returning a portion of the volume to saidmixer, and a handlefor adjusting said trough to regulate the amount returned.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN T. LEMON. Witnesses:

J. P. EAGLESON, A. L. PHELPS.

Copies of this patent ma be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

